SEXual health AND THE CITY at the new 80 Leadenhall Street clinic

80 Leadenhall Street is Homerton University Hospital’s new sexual health clinic serving the heart of the City of London. Found a short walk from Bank, Aldgate, Tower Hill and Liverpool street Tube stations, it is perfectly located to serve people living or working in the City. Following recent reports of sexual health services being reduced across the capital, 80 Leadenhall Street Lead Nurse, Martin Lincoln, and Specialty Doctor Joe Petersen-Camp, explain how they are able to open a brand new clinic in the heart of the City.

Hi guys, London has a new sexual health clinic, which is fantastic news. How did 80 Leadenhall come about? And how is it being funded?

Martin: We are very proud to be commissioned to deliver sexual and reproductive health services by the City of London Corporation and Hackney Council. The new clinic took months of vision, passion and hard work – and a lot of elbow grease.

How did the opening go on Tuesday 3 April?

Joe: The opening went very smoothly, with a steady flow of people attending the new service already.

Which public groups is the clinic targeting and why?

M: Our central location is perfect for people working in the Square Mile, and our opening times are tailored to the needs of City workers. We also hope that our Saturday clinics will be a convenient stop-off for guys on their way out for pre-drinks in Central and East London.

Are there any areas that you will particularly specialise in?

J: 80 Leadenhall Street forms part of a much wider network of services delivered by Homerton Sexual Health. We hope to attract men who have sex with men with our comprehensive support offer: STI testing and treatment, PEP, support with PrEP, chemsex advice, and support around mental health and wellbeing. There will be links with our chemsex peer mentor service at the Clifden Centre, Homerton, as well as our clinical psychologists and psychosexual clinic.

It’s become increasingly difficult to book an appointment at lots of clinics in London– if Boyz readers have experienced this, would you encourage them to jump on a bus and come visit you guys at 80 Leadenhall Street?

M: London’s population is growing – and sex is definitely not going out of fashion! All sexual health services are experiencing high numbers of visitors and sometimes struggle to keep up. Sexual health services are open access, meaning that anyone can attend any clinic that they feel able to. We have listened to what people want and reviewed our opening times to make visiting our services easier than ever before. 80 Leadenhall Street gives Londoners a new option for their sexual health needs, with pre-bookable and same-day appointments available six days a week. Give us a go and we are sure you will want to come back.

We’ve heard a lot recently about sexual health clinics closing and services being reduced, so how are you able to open a brand new health centre in the City of London?

J: Sexual health services in London have had to change to take into account growing demand as well as changes in how people want to access services. Local councils (who now fund sexual health services) got together to look at what was needed and where. These changes created the opportunity to do things differently – for example, people wanting a check up who don’t have any symptoms can now order tests online through Sexual Health London. The idea is to free up specialist sexual health staff to see people with symptoms or worries. The City of London is a major commercial and transport hub through which 400,000 commuters pass every day, so 80 Leadenhall Street is the perfect place to set up shop to improve the capital’s sexual health.

What are you most proud of with the new clinic?

M: First and foremost, our staff, who have the will and ambition to deliver the highest standard of care to our service users. Leadenhall Street is a calm oasis in the heart of the City of London, which we hope Boyz readers will love.

Opening times

80 Leadenhall Street provides appointments with some same day appointments each day. Services include testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PEP). The clinic has been purpose designed to create a welcoming environment and is on the ground floor with full disabled access. Same day results will be available for test samples taken before 3pm.

Monday 8am – 2pm

Tuesday 8am – 2pm

Wednesday Midday – 7pm

Thursday Midday – 7pm

Friday Midday – 7pm

Saturday Midday – 5pm*

Sunday Closed

*please note the clinic will be closed on the following Saturdays: 5 May 2018; 26 May 2018; 25 August 2018